Stocks slide as Powell says Fed fighting worst slump since WWII

U.S. stock markets tumbled Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank will take further steps to combat the worst downturn since World War II.

UN forecasts pandemic to shrink world economy by 3.2 percent

The United Nations forecast Wednesday that the COVID-19 pandemic will shrink the world economy by 3.2% this year, the sharpest contraction since the Great Depression in the 1930s.

Consumers, lawmakers rip airlines for withholding refunds

Some airlines are being slammed for not offering full refunds to travelers who had to cancel their flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grocery store prices rose last month amid COVID-19 pandemic

The price index for meats, poultry, fish and eggs increased the most, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

N.J., Del. to hire 1,200 contact tracers as part of COVID-19 response

Two local states are poised to hire at least 1,200 people to assist with contact tracing to assist with detecting and stopping new virus clusters before they get out of control.

Taxpayers foot bill to supply Pa. legislators, army of aides

It takes hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars a year for the Pennsylvania General Assembly to maintain one of the country's largest legislative staffs, a small army that needs food, shelter, transportation, office supplies and modern electronics. 

Distinct possibility: ‘Temporary’ layoffs may be permanent

Call it realism or pessimism, but more employers are coming to a reluctant conclusion: Many of the employees they’ve had to lay off in the face of the coronavirus pandemic might not be returning to their old jobs anytime soon.

Unemployment 'could be' nearing Great Depression levels: Mnuchin

More than a decade of job gains were erased in April; the stunning job losses are more than double what the U.S. saw during the 2008 financial crisis.

Lost your job? Here's what you need to know

Nearly 33.5 million Americans have lost their jobs and applied for unemployment benefits in the past 7 weeks — a stunning record high that reflects the near-complete shutdown of the U.S. economy.

Stocks surge as economic recovery hopes put record unemployment in the rearview mirror

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained over 455 points, or 1.91 percent, while the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 1.69 percent and 1.58 percent, respectively.

Nearly 3.2 million more workers seek jobless aid

Roughly 33.5 million people have now filed for jobless aid in the seven weeks since the coronavirus began forcing millions of companies to close their doors and slash their workforces.